Masquerade
by MayhemPrincess
Summary: "I don't know why, but I just had to get closer to you...and I don't understand, because there were dozens of naked people in that room, but I was only drawn to you. The only person who was trying to remain hidden." AU,One-Shot.


This was definitely NOT the kind of party Regina had imagined when they said Masquerade. She thought as she eyed the naked people all over the ballroom, some just talking, most engaging in all manner of indecent… acts.

All wearing masks. It had seemed like the best place to hide from her mother's men outside, so she grabbed a mask and entered the room, she definitely didn't expect to be asked to remove her clothes if she wished to remain. She didn't want to…but what else could she do? If she went outside they would surely find her and take her back to Cora.

She had been running from her mother for over three years now, since she had killed Daniel in front of Regina. A fairy named Tinker Bell had helped her hide from her mother's magic, but had been banished for trying to help her.

Regina couldn't let herself be captured just now.

She was so close to finding a way out of the Enchanted Forest. So letting the soldiers her mother commanded, by impersonating Regina and marrying the King, capture her was NOT acceptable. Praying to all the Gods out there, she removed her clothes and put on her mask. She found a corner and stood behind the decoration covering herself as much as she could and tried very hard ignore the sounds and not to stare at anyone.

She had been standing there for a few minutes, when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Startled, Regina turned to find herself trapped in the most beautiful pair of green eyes she had ever seen. "Hi." The blonde woman in front of her tilted her head smiling softly at Regina. "Is it your first time, too?"

Regina didn't respond for a moment, still lost within the other woman's eyes. There was something in them that called to her, maybe it was the way they looked at Regina. With a glint of genuine interest, not the way some men had looked at her during her time on the run. Though her eyes still held desire, somehow it felt different…not hungrily devouring her, but gently caressing her.

It made her heart beat wildly in her chest and she placed her hand over it as if to keep it from escaping her body.

The woman's eyes shifted, following her hand for a second before they returned to Regina's own brown orbs.

Clearing her throat, Regina finally answered. "F-first time?"

The blonde smiled at Regina's obvious nervousness. She hadn't planned to approach anyone in this place, she was here to "borrow" some magic beans from one of the men in this place …nothing more. Her priority was returning to her own world, she didn't want to remain in this horrible excuse of a fairy tale any longer than she had to. She had turned in the damn wrong corner and into a blocked alley while chasing a bounty and ended up falling into a damn portal of all things. And into a world where fucking magic was real and there was an Evil Queen and child princess on the run, named SNOW WHITE...at first Emma thought it was a dream, then she thought she was crazy, but now after a year of trying to find a way back, she finally got her ticket home.

She should have just left afterwards, but the moment she laid eyes on this girl, was the moment she lost control of herself. As if something had taken control of her, she walked closer to the girl and once next to her, there was no way back.

"At one of these…parties." She said softly, not wanting to scare her. Her eyes lingering on the brunette's lips for a moment as the girl unconsciously licked them. On someone else, it might had been an attempt at seduction, but there was something innocent in the shorter woman. Something that could not be hidden by a mask

Something that made her irresistible.

Regina took a deep breath attempting to calm herself. She tried to cover as much of herself as possible, but the blonde's closeness was distracting and as much as Regina tried not to, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander.

What was wrong with her? She thought as her breathing increased. "I- Yes, I didn't…realize it was…this kind of party until I was… you know."

"Ah, yes. Neither did I." The blond tilted her head curious. "…you stayed though."

Regina averted her eyes. She couldn't exactly tell this blonde, _naked_, stranger why she had to stay in this place…no matter how beautiful she was. And Gods, how she was, even with a mask Regina just knew. She didn't need to see her face to know…

"I just couldn't leave…" She replied nervously.

"I see…" The blond said, sensing that there was something more, but it wasn't really her business. "Well, maybe your were… curious?" She said taking a step closer.

The brunette sucked in a breath when she felt her move closer. "I-no…I just t-the person who brought me here! They won't be back for me for a while…I can't just…" She trailed off as the blonde leaned against the wall next to her.

Ah…that was a lie. The blonde could feel her lie detector going off. "Well…Since you'll be here for a while, why don't I keep you company? I'm Emma by the way."

Emma.

That was a beautiful name and Regina wasn't surprised this woman had such name. It truly fit her. "I'm Reg-Reina." She corrected hastily, hoping Emma hadn't noticed her slip. She didn't understand what was happening. She had been on the run for over a year, she knew better than to slip like this…she definitely shouldn't feel guilty for lying.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's a pretty name. It means queen, right?"

Regina's eyes widened. "Y-yes…"

The blonde smiled and took Regina's hand in hers. "Well then, your majesty…would you like to go somewhere else?"

"Somewhere else…?" Regina asked taking a step back.

Not wanting to scare her, Emma let go of her hand when the girl moved away. She could tell the other woman was just as attracted to Emma as she was to her, but Emma had a feeling this was completely new to Reina.

Smiling gently, Emma nodded. "Away from all this." She motioned to the rest of the room, busting the bubble that had surrounded them when they locked eyes the first time.

Suddenly Regina remembered they were not alone. There were even more people in the room, naked and touching or watching the men and women grouped together in the center. Regina gasped at the sight of a woman writhing in pleasure as another…gods…her mouth. Looking away she took another startled step back at the sight of several men…

"So, you want to go then?" Emma asked holding back a smirk. The sight of so many people pleasuring each other and the sound of their moans and groans, was obviously too much for the poor girl. She very likely had avoided looking at them closely before.

Regina turned to look at the blonde, glad for the distraction from…everyone else. But the sight of the beautiful blonde offering her hand, only served to affect her more.

She wasn't stupid. She knew what the other woman wanted. She knew what would happen if she took her hand. But after the running for so long, feeling like she had no hope and no choice… Regina just wanted something. Anything. To make her feel she was free, like there was more to the world than fear and pain.

The thought of letting this woman take her was against everything Cora had wanted from Regina…and it would have been enough to convince her. Yet she couldn't help but think that even if it wasn't, this woman wanting her would have been too tempting to resist anyway.

Feeling nearly drunk with the energy in the room and whatever force drew her to the blonde, Regina took her hand and let the blonde lead her away from the room.

Regina licked her lips nervously, her mouth felt dry, her breathing heavier with every step at the thought of what was about to happen. Her hand was sweating in Emma's as the blonde guided her through the halls of the manor.

It felt like she had no control over her senses, the cream walls seemed brighter than before, even if the light was dim, the softness of the carpet on their bare feet was like a caress, the air felt different, heavy... Regina found it hard to breathe, her heart was beating so hard and she could almost hear her own blood pumping through her veins.

Every few seconds the masked blonde would look back at her and smile, making Regina feel so out of control, so out of her depth. She didn't know what to do, how to act. Should she say anything? Should she even be here?

But every look from her made Regina feel...something. Something indescribable -new- but so very powerful and she couldn't bring herself to run away.

They reached another room and Emma turned to face her, smiling softly and taking Regina's other hand in hers as well. She squeezed them gently and began waking backwards into the dark lit room. Regina followed and was immediately hit by the smell of roses and she took in the scene. Rose petals spread around the floor and on the massive bed. The smell, the lights, the heaviness in the air, the sight of the beautiful blonde looking at her as if she wanted to devour her, made Regina's body burn with a need she'd never felt before.

Nothing she had felt before in her life had been so intense.

She was speechless even as Emma slowly brought her soft hand to Regina's cheek in a tender caress. The brunette's eyes closed at the sensation, only Daniel had ever been so gentle with her and yet even he had never provoked this-this heat? Regina didn't know how to explain it any other way.

"Shh...It's alright..." Emma's voice soothed her, when her body began to tremble. The blonde brought their foreheads together, green and brown locked and their souls embraced in that moment. Two complete strangers, their souls resonating in a way they never had before.

Slowly, their lips came together and Regina felt a pleasant warmth spread through her body, it felt safe and wonderful and the only thing that mattered was the blonde's lips on her, her hands in her hair. She gasped when she felt Emma's tongue trace her lips. It was so warm... she did nothing to stop her from entering Regina's mouth and she whimpered when it met her own.

This had never happened with Daniel, they had only been able to steal short kisses in their rush not to be discovered by her mother.

But this?

This was bliss, there was nothing else but Emma and the sensuous movement of her lips, the slow dance of their tongues and the captivating sound of their moans.

Emma's hands slowly traveled down Regina's back and they both gasped when their naked bodies came together, the cold metal of the locket hanging around Emma's neck was soothing against their heated skin. Emma's held her close, their lips parting. She smiled at Regina and let her lips move lower to her neck.

"Emma..." The brunette gasped, her hands moving for the first time burying themselves in the woman's soft blonde curls as she trailed heated kisses down her neck and chest. Regina's legs gave out a whimper escaping her mouth, when she felt lips wrap around one of her nipples. Emma held her tightly and led her slowly to the bed, her mouth still encasing the hard nub. She sucked gently as she heard the other girl cries and whimpers.

She gently laid her on the bed, letting go of her breast to take in the shy woman. Regina felt exposed, even more now than she had all night. It didn't matter that they both had been naked from the first moment, right now it felt more intimate...more important.

Emma stopped her from covering herself... "Don't...you're perfect..." She said meeting the nervous woman's brown eyes. Regina slowly nodded, letting herself sink into the intense green eyes as the woman climbed on top of her in the bed. She cried out when their centers touched.

Every time she thought she couldn't feel more, the blonde surprised her with a touch. Emma moved her body a little, making Regina gasp. She kissed the girl's lips one more time and Regina lost herself in her, letting out small sound as the blonde's hands carefully explored her skin.

It was so amazing, so perfect and Regina wanted to do something -anything- to make Emma feel as good as she was. But she felt stupid and useless, knowing she had no idea what to do. As if sensing her thoughts Emma took one of Regina's hands and brought it to her hip. "You can touch me..."

Regina bit her lip. "I-I don't know how..." She looked away, ashamed. Her mother, of course, had made sure to tell her how she was to act with her future husband... but this was a completely different situation. Emma wasn't her husband, Emma wasn't even a man. What her mother had told her wouldn't certainly work on her...

Emma brought her hand to Regina's chin, making her look at her again...and kissing her in reassurance. "Learn...explore, let your hands move over my skin. Like I let mine learn your body." She demonstrated by letting her pale hands caress Regina's sides and gently palm her breasts. She returned to Regina's neck and brought her lips to the olive skin, kissing and nibbling making Regina arch into her when her hands moved massaging her perfect mounts.

The brunette held onto Emma's back and slowly began to roam the velvety skin, her sides, then hesitantly copied Emma's touches.

"Mmm, that's good..."

The blonde moaned into her neck, shifting so that she straddled Regina's leg. The runaway gasped, her hips moving of their own accord when Emma's thigh settled between her legs.

"Gods..." She cried out when Emma began moving letting her leg rub the other woman's center, smiling when she felt the wetness on her thigh.

Regina whimpered when Emma let her hand moved down slowly and hovered over her lips. "You've never done this have you?"

Regina shook her head in response.

"It's alright... If you want to stop just tell me, I won't get mad, I promise... " She soothed knowing she would stop the moment the beautiful woman said so, but really hoping she wouldn't have to.

"N-no...please, I need." Regina said, not knowing how to ask her to continue.

Emma nodded with a smiles and moved in to join their lips again, her fingers softly tracing the girl's lower lips, spreading her wetness everywhere, rubbing gently and causing the younger girl to whimper into Emma's mouth.

Regina was lost in pleasure. She felt as if she would burn alive, waves of heat running through her body as Emma's finger slowly entered her. "Oh...Gods...Emma." She gasped, her hips began moving in time with the blonde's finger and the movement made Emma moan in pleasure when her core rubbed into a soft thigh. She added another finger, not letting them break through the barrier she felt there. It wasn't necessary to make the woman come, so why cause her any pain?

Regina couldn't control her body, her hips moving wildly as Emma let her thumb press into the little nub.

"I-I Gods...I can't Emma...please." Regina didn't even understand what she was saying, she didn't know what she needed, but only that Emma could give it to her...

Emma moved her fingers a little faster, her thumb pressing harder into the young girl's clit and it was enough. When she felt the brunette's body tense she moved her mouth down and latched into the girl's nipple. Regina's body trembled powerfully, her mouth open in a silent scream. Emma kept moving her fingers slowly to prolong her orgasm and she rubbed herself against the brunette's thigh until she came herself. She looked up to see the beautiful body collapse on the bed and moved to kiss the girl awake from her daze.

Regina's senses returned to her and she responded to the kiss, the one person who had managed to give her freedom. There was no other way to describe it. The blonde had unleashed her, given her something so amazing and for the first time in her life Regina was free.

Her hand moved to Emma's face, slowly removing the mask, glad that the woman didn't stop her. She needed to see her, she needed to see the face of the woman who had set her free. The woman who had reignited her soul.

She gasped at the beauty of her.

She was the most beautiful thing Regina had ever seen, she let her hand caress the blonde's cheek and smiled when the woman leaned into her palm. "Thank you... you don't know what you've done for me tonight..."

Emma tilted her head curious.

"You just gave me the most intense moment of happiness I've ever had in my whole life...even if only for a moment, I was free."

Something told the blonde, there was more to this than just a girl marveling at her first orgasm. "Free? Reina, I don't un-"

"Regina..." The brunette smiled beautifully and Emma's eyes widened in awe at the sight.

"My name is Regina..." She said and used both hands to remove her own mask.

Emma gasped. It was impossible...the Queen... Emma had seen her in the first village she reached after landing in this world. But...how was this possible? That woman had been angry and cruel... she had used magic to rip the heart out several men for not giving her the information she wanted.

She had ordered the destruction of the village and Emma had barely managed to escape. And here she was now...having just had sex with her...and what the hell was the damn Evil Queen doing in this place and playing innocent girl?

Emma took a step back worried, she had seen what the woman was capable of... "You...you're the queen!"

Regina felt a wave of despair it her, attempting to drown her, at the sight of the fear in the blonde's face. "No! Wait...I didn't I'm not the Queen I swear!"

Emma frowned, angry at the denial. She forgot about the woman's magic and snarled at her. "I know you are! I fucking saw you kill an entire village! Don't you dare deny it..."

Regina shook her head frantically, moving closer to Emma but stopping when the older woman stepped away from her. She raised both hands in a pacifying gesture. "Please, you have to believe me. I'm not her... she's used magic to look like me, so she could marry the king... I ran, I've been running for over three years... please believe me..." She begged praying to any god that could hear her to let the blonde believe her.

Emma wanted to scoff, to cry out lie ad try to find a way to escape... but her gut was telling her different. Why would powerful Queen, who commanded magic cry and beg Emma to believe her? Why would she have been here alone? So, shy and innocent...

Gulping Emma locked eyes with the woman and realized she wouldn't. The Evil Queen wouldn't do any of those things, she certainly wouldn't be capable of faking what she saw in this girl's eyes. Hoping she was right Emma took a walked closer and brought her hand to Regina's cheek. They way the girl flinched as if expecting Emma to hit her finally convinced the blonde that this wasn't the Queen.

"Shh...I-I believe you." She said catching the girl when she collapsed sobbing into her. Emma held her in and embrace, unsure of how to comfort her. She had never been in a situation like this before. Making a decision she slowly brought the woman's face to her own and kissed her, hoping it would calm her down.

Regina sighed into the kiss and let herself sink into the other woman, her arms wrapping around Emma's neck, bodies pressing together, igniting their passion once more.

Emma began to walk them back to the bed when they hear screams and the sound of sword fight bellow them.

Regina gasped terrified. "No! It's my mother's soldiers...they found me. I-I have to go, I can't let them capture me I..."

"Hey, hey...It's alright, I'll help...come on let's find some clothes." She said pulling Regina with her towards a wardrobe, finding several man shirts and trousers. "Here put this on." She said handing them to Regina and dressing herself as well. There was no way to return for her own clothes downstairs. Fortunately she had the bean in the locked around her neck.

Once they dressed Emma pulled Regina closer. "Come on through the window."

The women carefully made their way down a tree next to the window and ran -still bare footed- into the forest ahead. They couldn't hear anyone chasing them so after several minutes they came to a stop, trying to catch their breaths.

"Who is she?"

Regina looked back at Emma in question. "Who?"

"The Evil Queen...why is she doing this? The villages raids... she's been looking for you all along, hasn't she? Does she want to kill you so you don't challenge her throne or something?" Emma asked looking at Regina intently.

The brunette sighed and leaned against a tree. "She's my mother...Cora." She nodded sadly at Emma's surprised look. "She wanted me to be Queen, my whole life... I-I saved the king's daughter's life and the king thought the best way to thank me was marrying me..." She said bitterly.

Emma frowned. "What just like that?"

"Just like that... mother said yes and he just accepted it. But I couldn't...I was in love with another man. I told him about the King and we were going to run away, but mother found out...she crushed his heart in front of me." Regina let out a breath trying to calm herself.

"I don't know what happened...I just I was so angry and it hurt so much and...and I think I did magic somehow, because the next thing I knew mother was thrown against the wall unconscious. And...I just ran...I couldn't even bury Daniel...if I stayed she would have made me marry that man..."

"And you've been running ever since? So she just decided to take your place? That's- wait...you have magic?" Emma questioned.

Regina shrugged. "I guess...my mother has it so I think I might have been born with it, but I don't know how to use it...I don't really want to use it..." She had been hurt with magic her whole life, her fiance was taken from her with magic. She refused to learn it.

Emma sighed. That mean that Regina had no way of protecting herself after Emma left... but to be honest Emma found herself not wanting to part from her just yet and she seriously didn't want to leave her to be captured and probably die. An idea began to form in her mind...but that meant committing herself to taking care of Regina for a long time...

Looking at the sad girl in the eyes, Emma realized that she simply could not abandon her to her fate. "Come home with me..."

Regina blinked in surprise at the offer. "Home? I Emma...I don't you could get hurt if she finds me..."

Emma shook her head. "No, she won't...my home is not here. It's in another world...I fell into a portal and ended up here a year ago, I've been trying to find a way back all this time." She moved closer to Regina.

"That's why I was at the masquerade. There was a man there, he had these." She said opening her locket and showing Regina two magic beans. "These can open a portal, I'm going to use the to go home."

"A-and you want me...to come with you?" Regina asked hopeful for the first time in years. Emma was offering her a way to escape her mother. Not somewhere she could burn with her soldiers, but another world... "Why...?"

Emma licked her lips. "I-I was already leaving... I only came to this party to steal the beans. I had no intention of being with anyone in there...but I was about to leave when I saw you in the corner." Emma whispered. She couldn't really explain how she felt...it was truly irrational...but...

"I don't know why, but I just had to get closer to you...and I don't understand, because there were dozens of naked people in that room, but I was only drawn to you. The only person who was trying to remain hidden. And then we were together...and I'm no virgin, Regina. But that was the most intense experience I've ever had. I...just come with me? My world is really different and and it can be hard at times, but there's none of this craziness."

Regina gulped considering the offer. Something warmed in her chest at Emma's words, at the reason she had approached her in that place... a new world. She wouldn't know anything about it though...if Emma got tired of her, Regina would be lost...but would she leave Regina?

"I wouldn't know anything about it..." The brunette said worried. "You'd be trapped helping me Emma... are you sure you want that? I'm a stranger...you don't owe me anything... you actually almost died because of my mother..."

"You didn't do any of that... and I'm okay helping yo. Once upon a time when I was desperate for help no one was there for me, but I can be there for you? ...if you want to come with me?" Emma said offering her hand to Regina the same way she did earlier, tempting the younger woman yet again...first with the promise of pleasure...

...now, with the promise of freedom.

And once again Regina found herself unable to do anything but to take her hand.


End file.
